Vriesea plant named ‘VRSP100’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Vriesea  plant named ‘VRSP100’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; attractive foliage with distinct contrasting light green and dabrk green crossbands and random spots; relatively short leaves arranged in a dense rosettes; and upright and long non-branching inflorescences with conspicuous bright red-colored flower bracts.

Botanical designation: Vriesea splendens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VRSP100’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Vrieseaplant, botanically known as Vriesea splendens, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘VRSP100’.

The new Vriesea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Honolulu and Hilo, Hi. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop compact Vrieseas with attractive foliage andinflorescences.

The new Vriesea originated from a chance self-pollination in Honolulu,Hi. of the Vriesea splendens cultivar Myer's Favorite, not patented. Thecultivar VRSP100 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in acontrolled environment in Hilo, Hi. in March, 1991.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by divisions in Hilo, Hi.,since October, 1991, has shown that the unique features of this newVriesea are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar VRSP100 have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and culture such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘VRSP100’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘VRSP100’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofVriesea:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Attractive foliage with distinct contrasting light green and        dark green crossbands and random spots; relatively short leaves        arranged in a dense rosettes.    -   3. Upright and long non-branching inflorescences with        conspicuous bright red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Vriesea are most similar to plants of the parent, thecultivar Myer's Favorite, however plants of the new Vriesea differprimarily from plants of the cultivar Myer's Favorite in plant habit andleaf length as plants of the new Vriesea are more compact and haveshorter leaves than plants of the cultivar Myer's Favorite.

Plants of the new Vriesea can be compared to plants of the Vrieseacultivar Fire, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventor in Hilo, Hi., plants of the new Vrieseadiffered from plants of the cultivar Fire primarily in foliage lusterand coloration as plants of the cultivar Fire had dull foliage with lesscolor contrast between the crossbands, spots and ground color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Vriesea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical container of ‘VRSP100’ with three flowering plants percontainer.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalplants of ‘VRSP100’ with a developing inflorescence (left) and a fullydeveloped inflorescence (right). The photograph on the third page is aside perspective view of a typical non-flowering plant of ‘VRSP100’(left) and ‘Myer's Favorite’ (right) showing the differences in planthabit and leaf length.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in theaforementioned photographs and the following description were grown withthree plants per 15-cm container in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse inHilo, Hi. during the autumn. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 20 to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 17to 20° C. and light levels ranged from 6,000 to 8,000 footcandles.Plants were about 15 months old when the photograph and description weretaken.

-   Botanical classification: Vriesea splendens cultivar VRSP100.-   Parentage: Self-pollination of Vriesea splendens cultivar Myer's    Favorite, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at 28° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 days at 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact and upright plant habit; inverted triangle;            symmetrical. Short internodes; dense and bushy rosette of            stiff leaves; leaves, relatively short.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 28            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 57            cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 43 cm.        -   Vigor.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement/appearance: Rosette; short            internodes; relatively short leaf length; distinct            contrasting light green-colored ground color and dark            green-colored crossbands and random spots. Length: About            22.5 cm. Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Aristate.            Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Somewhat glossy. Aspect: Concave; apex            recurved. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing and            fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Ground color, close to            191A; crossbands and random spots, darker green than 147A;            towards the apex, close to 187A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Ground color, close to 189A            to more green than 189A; crossbands and random spots, more            purple than 200A. Veins, upper and lower surfaces: Same as            lamina.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence form.—Upright and long non-branching            inflorescences; flowers subtended by conspicuous imbricate            flower bracts; inflorescences supported on erect and strong            scapes.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Typically one per plant.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Vriesea            are very long-lasting; flower bract coloration is maintained            for about two months. Inflorescences persistent.        -   Natural flowering season and time to flower.—Plants flower            throughout the year and begin to flower about 15 months            after planting.        -   Scape description.—Length: About 57 cm. Diameter: About            6 mm. Internode length: About 2.4 cm. Aspect: Erect.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 155A.        -   Flowers.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 14 flowers and            flower buds. Corolla: Arrangement: Three petals,            gameopetalous. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm.            Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Clasping.            Margin: Entire. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; waxy. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to            12A. Calyx: Arrangement: Three petals, gameosepalous.            Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Narrowly            deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire.            Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy.            Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 155B. Reproductive            organs: Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length:            About 9 mm. Anther length: About 8.5 mm. Anther color: 17A.            Pollen: None observed. Pistils: Pistil length: About 2.2 cm.            Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Closest to 187A.            Ovary: Superior with three locules. Length: About 7.5 mm.            Color: Close to 187A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.        -   Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Arranged in closely-spaced            vertical ranks along the inflorescence; two-ranked. Quantity            per inflorescence: About 14. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acuminate            to cuspidate. Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Length: About            6.5 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces; Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color: When developing,            inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B. Fully            opened, inner surface: Close to 150D. Fully opened, outer            surface: Close to 44A.        -   Scape bracts.—Arrangement: Arranged in closely-spaced            vertical ranks along the inflorescence; two-ranked. Quantity            per inflorescence: About ten. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:            Aristate. Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Length: About            4.4 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color: When developing and            fully developed, inner surface: Close to 147A to 147B. When            developing and fully opened, outer surface: Close to 146A;            crossbands and random spots, more purple than 200A.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Vriesea have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5 to 40° C.-   Diseases/pest resistance: Plants of the new Vriesea have not been    observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to Vriesea.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Vriesea plant named ‘VRSP100’, asillustrated and described.